Sheet metal as it comes off of a rolling mill is usually wound onto hollow cylindrical mandrels so that the sheet metal can be conveniently handled, shipped, and unrolled when the metal is ultimately used. During shipping and handling, however, the metal coil is subject to edge damage or exposure to dirt, water, and other corrosive elements. Furthermore, the exposed side edges of the sheet forming the roll or coil are often sharp and, therefore, may injure persons or objects coming into contact therewith.
Several patents disclose various apparatus for protecting the end surfaces of coiled industrial products. Of these patents, U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,585 to Wall discloses rolled paper wrapping apparatus employing roll headers and end wrap paper defining v-shaped notches at the edges thereof to prevent the end wrap paper from forming ridges when overlapped on the end of the rolled paper, thereby preventing ridge-induced indentations in the ends of the rolled paper. U.S. Pat. No. 2,883,045 to Abramson discloses a circular cover sheet for a metal coil having inner and outer circular bands of adhesive material, each of which has a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radial slits.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,728 to Straus discloses a roll edge protector comprising a leg integrally formed at a right angle to a scalloped webbing. The leg can be wrapped on the sides of the coil so that the webbing extends over the edges of the coil. The roll edge protector of Straus, however, does not protect the entire edge of a coil.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,028 to Melehan discloses an apparatus for applying end caps having pluralities of circumferentially spaced radial slits onto rolled sheet stock. The end caps are forced by hydraulic forming assemblies of the Melehan apparatus onto the ends of the rolled sheet stock.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,871,765 to Williamson discloses a machine for packaging pie plates and similar articles which employs automated presser members and folding jaws to press and form circular paper disks having pluralities of circumferentially spaced v-shaped notches onto the ends of a cylindrical package of pre-wrapped pie plates.
None of the known apparatus, however, provide for an end cap which readily conforms to the edges and sides of coiled material of various diameters to protect the edge and peripheral side of the coil. Furthermore, none of the known methods for protecting coiled products provide for the installation of an end cap adaptable to coils of various sizes, with or without the use of adhesives.
Consequently, it is desirable to provide an end cap which readily conforms to the edges and sides of rolls of coiled material of various diameters.
It is also desirable to provide an end cap for a metal coil comprising either a light weight or a heavy weight corrugated material. Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide an end cap which is relatively inexpensive and easily manufactured.
It would also be desirable to provide a method for installing an end cap which easily conforms to the edges and sides of coils having various diameters.